More needs to be done to address housing for area homeless population

In regards to the new warming shelter in Rochester: The shelter opens at 9 p.m. and closes at 7 a.m. and is open seven days a week, including holidays. In the article, it states the space, set to open on December 15, will provide beds for up to 30-40 individuals on any given night. Those guests will be offered food, a shower, and the opportunity to do their laundry. Trained staff will also work with guests to try and find them a more permanent housing solution. My question is: where is this permanent housing and how will the county be proactive in finding this housing?

For almost all Section 8 housing there is a waitlist. On Olmsted County’s website it states, “There are 110 housing units in the program, all located in Rochester. There is a waiting list and no applications are being accepted at this time.” Then according to a 2018 study on homelessness, there were 589 people accounted for in southeast Minnesota that were considered homeless. To open one shelter for 30-40 individuals is a slap in the face to each individual looking for help.

The Salvation Army has been doing the shelter for the previous four years and yet they have been crying out for the county’s help as the shelter couldn’t cover the need in Rochester. Then to say you will have staff to help with housing? What staff are going to work with clients from 9 p.m. to 7 a.m.? What trained staff are dealing with these individuals that are not required to show ID to enter the shelter? The Salvation Army had to shut their doors early due to safety concerns last year because the lack of structure. Between drug use, alcohol, and violence, how can we protect the volunteers?

My opinion is, if they want to bring a shelter costing around $180,000 a year to Rochester for four to five months, don’t you think we could open low-income housing instead to better meet the needs of the homeless population? The ones I have personally met with while I volunteered with the Salvation Army were dealing with mental illness, addiction, and prior criminal histories. With all three of these issues being a leading cause of homelessness, we should be looking at a policy to remove the barriers of renting with felonies. I’m not saying remove the label, but keeping the label in the criminal justice and not public would be huge. Obviously, some crimes will still be known, like sex offenses, but if the person served their time for the crime how can he or she start over if they are blocked from all housing outlets do to past criminal history? Mental health is another issue. If someone is struggling with mental health or addiction, how are they able to seek housing or live without help? If you’re homeless and have these concerns, what can we do? Can we place them in a facility to make them sober or get mental health treatment? No, due to human rights, but if we can’t offer the help and pay for it will they get that help?

In conclusion, putting a Band-Aid on the problem doesn’t solve the problem; it just prolongs the healing process. We need to start looking at the real barriers of homelessness and take action.

—Brian Wunderlich